Pocket key case



Jan. 13, 1953 L. L. smzpwooo 2,625,191

POCKET K EY CASE Filed Sept. 11, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 TNVENTOR. Lssrze L. SHER W000 111 'rolzmzy.

Jan. 13, 1953 SHERWOOD 2,625,191

POCKET KEY CASE Filed Sept. 11, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 IN V EN TOR. LE5 TEE L. SHEEWO 00 ATTORNE) Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POfJKET KEY CASE Lester L. Sherwood, Banning, Calif.

Application, September 11, 1950, Serial No. 184,211

1 Claim.

My invention relates to small folding cases or envelopes of leather or the like, and which are especially designed for receiving and compactly holding keys, particularly those of relatively small size, which are used for locking and unlocking the doors, ignition switches and storage compartment doors of motor vehicles, in fact, any of the smaller sizes of keys usually carried in the pocket.

The principal objects of my invention are, to provide a key-carrying case, which is simple and compact in structure which, when folded, completely covers the enclosed key or keys; further, to mount within the carrying case a small key chain which serves as a suspension member for the case when a key therefrom is inserted in a lock such as, for instance, a motor vehicle ignition lock on the dash or steering column of the vehicle, under which conditions the case being formed of leather or other'fairly soft material will not rattle on the dash or column as a result of vibration developed while the equipped vehicle is being driven.

A further object of my invention is to provide a key case or carrier of the character referred to which requires only a small amount of leather or like material in its production and which requires very little time in assembly, thus reducing manufacturing costs to a minimum.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the body member of a preferred form of my improved key case and showing same in flat condition before being folded.

Fig. 2 isa front elevational view of the case in folded closed condition.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 3-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an elevational viewof a short section of the type of chain used in the case and showing the joint member therein. H v

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the main body member of a modified form of the case, same being shown in fiat condition before being-folded.

Fig. .7 is a plan view of the companion body member-which is combined with the member shown in Fig. 6 in producing-the case.

Fig. 8 is an elevational-view-of the form of case produced fromthe body members shown in Figs. 6'and7.--

Fig. 9 is a vertical section, taken on the'line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an elevational view looking against the inner face of a modified form of the case.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section, taken on the line I l-ll of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a horizontal section, taken on the same plane as Fig. 11, and showing this form of the case in closed position.

Fig. 13 is a view looking against the inner face of a further modified form of the case.

Fig. 14 is an elevational view of the form of case seen in Fig. 13, in closed position.

Fig. 15 is a vertical section, taken on the line l5-l5 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a horizontal section, taken on the line l6-l6 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 17 is an elevational view of one of the identical members used in forming a modified form of two-part case.

Fig. 18 is an elevational view of the case, in closed position, that is formed by the two parts of the form shown in Fig. 1'7.

Fig. 19 is a horizontal section, taken on the line l9|9 of Fig. 18.

Fig. '20 is an elevational view of a further modified form of one piece case in open position.

Fig. 21 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 2l--2l of Fig. 20.

Fig. 22 is a detail vertical section taken on the line 22-22 of Fig. 20.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, particularly to the form of case illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, l6 designates the central section of a single piece of leather or the like, which forms one of the walls of the case, and integral with the sides thereof are substantially semi-circular portions H and 12, which are folded onto wall It] in overlapping relation, to form the other Wall of the case.

Near the outer edge of member I l is seated the stud member iii of an ordinary snap fastener and the complementary socket member I4 is seated near the outer edge of Wall member i2.

Projecting upwardly from wall member I l is a tab l 5 in which is seated an eyelet l6 and a similar tab l7 projects upwardly from wall member Ill and is provided with an eyelet I8. Depending from the lower end of wall member i0 is a tab I9, in which is seated an eyelet 20.

The chain used in all forms of my improved case is preferably formed of a series of flexibly connected small hollow spherical members 21 and a short slotted hollow member 22 for detachably connecting the ends of said chain when mounted in the case.

When properly folded for use, wall member I l is folded over onto member ID, with tabs 15 and I! folded inwardly and downwardly so as to overlie the upper portions of said wall members, and

3 tab I9 is folded upwardly against the inner face of the lower portion of wall member i0.

After the key or keys have been placed on chain 2|, the latter is threaded through coinciding eyelets l6 and I8, also through eyelet 20, and wall members H and I2 are now folded over onto the key and chain. and secured in. such position by engaging socket M on stud l3.

Thus, the folded case provides a complete flexible closure or envelope conveniently holding and carrying a key or keys and as said case is formed from flexible leather or the like, it will not rattle against the vehicle dash or steering columnwhen suspended by chain 2| from the key inserted in the ignition lock.

In the modified construction shown in Figs. Ste 9, inclusive, two wall members of leather or the like are used in forming thecase, one member 23 is provided on opposite sides with substantially triangular tabs. 24*, one carrying: the stud mem- I her 25 of a snap fastener and theother, the socket member 25 of such fastener.

At the upper end of member 23. is a tab 21 and a similar tab 28 projects from the lower end, both of said tabs being provided with eyelets. 29.

The other wall member 30' (Fig. 7) has the same size andshape as wall member 23, without the side tabs, but with end tabs 31, correspond:- ing with tabs 27 and 28' and bothcarrying eyelets 32.

When this form of case is made. up for use, tabs 2'! and 28 are folded against the inner faces of the end portions of wall member 23; and tabs 3| are folded againstthe inner facesof the end portions of wall 30, thus bringing the. eyelets 29 and 32 into registration so as toreceive the key-carrying chain 33 (see-Fig. 9).

To close this form of case, the tab 24 carrying the-stud 25 is folded inwardly ontoiwall member 39 and socket 26 engages said stud, thus-holding the tabs 24 in overlappingrelationisee Fig. 8).

In the-form of caseshown inFigs. 10, 11 and'12, twowall members 34 and 35 are. disposed side by side with the central portions of their adjacent edges 38 connected by rivets 31 -andtheir upper and lower portions are connected by, eyelets 37, for reception of a conventional key-carrying chain 38;

The stud 39 of a conventional snap fastener is seated in wall member 35 near its outer edge anda tab Gil, on the outer edgeof. wall member 34, carriesthe socket member A I of; said'fastener.

Chain 38 carrying a key or keys, such as K, are practically enclosed by wall members 34 and 35 when the tabAB is folded over onto wall meme ber 35 and secured by engagement of socket M with stud 39 (see Fig. 12).

In the modified. form of one-piece. case illustrated in Figs. 13' to 16 inclusive, one side wall member 42 has on its-opposite sides reversely disposed lobe-shapedmembersAS, adapted. to overlap. and form a side wall. A- strip 44 of-thin resilient metal provides areinforcement tomaintain the case in properform,,said strip being arranged on the inner: face of wall 42 and secured to the'ends thereof by eyelets 43*,whichreceive the key chain 44%. Thelarge" ends of the lobeshapedmembers'fl are provided with apertures 45 for receiving,;the key-chain;

In this form of, case, chain M passes through eyelets 43 and apertures 45, with the greater portion of said chain overlying the outer faces-of the walls of the case-and thekey or keys mounted onrthe chain between said walls (see Figs; 15

and 16).

In the form of case shown in Figs. 17, 18 and 19, two identical wall forming members, each shaped as shown in Fig. 17 and foldable on a diagonally-disposed line X, to provide reversely arranged lobe-shaped wall-forming members 46, are provided in their end portions with apertures 41 for reception ota key chain 48.

The case forming members are assembled so that the lobe-shaped members overlap each other slightly as seen in Fig. 19, with chain 48 extending lengthwise on the outer faces of the sides of said case and passing through the coinciding pairs of apertures 41, and with the key or keys on said chain, between the double thickness walls of the case.

To swing the key outwardly from this form of case, it is only necessary to manipulate same so as to pull one or the other of the pairs of overlappingedges of the walls 45 apart, and then pull thek-eyputwardly from between said edges. The flexibility of' the leather" or material from which thecase is formed and the flexibility ofthe chain readily permits this action;

In theone-piece case illustrated in Figs: 20', 21 and 22', arectangularsection 49 of leather or the like is foldableon spaced parallel lines b and" c, to form a side wall SU'andapair' of overlapping side wall members 51 and 52';

The stud member 5:3 of a snap fastener seated in wall member 51, is adapted to". engage thesocket member 54 seated in wall member 52', to connect-said members and. maintain the case in closed position.

Formedinthe end portionsof wall member'52}.

are apertures 55-, through which pass the doubled end portions, of" a keyjchain 56', with the main portions of; said chain lying, lengthwise on the outer face" of wallimember 52.

The key'or keys are carried'by the doubled end's of. the chain. between the walls of the case, as seen in Figs. 20 and 22'.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided. a

pocket key case which is. simple and compactv in -structure, inexpensive of manufacture and ery. eifective in performing thefunctions for whichit' is intended. Minor changes in the size,.forzn.and construction of the variouspart'sofmy-improvedv key. case may be'ma'de' and substitutedior those herein: shown and. described" without departing. from the spirit of'my invention, the. scope of which is set'forth in the append'edcl-aim.

I claim as my invention:

In a pocket key case; a pair of walls of flexible material, tabs. on the ends offon'e of; said walls a tab on one end of'the other'wall which tabs are turned inward so as to. lie between said walls, eyelets seated in saidinwardly turned tabs and a key chain passing through said eyelets and lying wholly between said" walls:

LESTERL. SHERWOOD.

REFERENCES: CITED The following references areofre'cord in the file of this patent: 

